DE is my primary concern right now. Thankfully the Colts have two studs in Freeney and Mathis, but after them it nosedives off a cliff imo.

I couldn't agree with you more now. That is why I suggested Brandon Lang because of his defensive program and supposedly high football IQ. If he has a good year, he will creep up to the top of the 2nd or the end of the 1st, IMO.

Another guy I also like at the DE position is Jerry Hughes of TCU, he is a sack freak.

He was the nation's leading pass rusher last year with an eye-popping 17 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles.

As I've stated in the past, if I was to pick an Offensive Tackle I would probably go Selvish Capers in the 1st, but if we were to look at the later rounds, Gabe Carimi, the Offensive Tackle from Wisconsin. He's massive. He has the leg drive to push, but is still agile. He's 6' 8", 300 lbs and should increase that bulk in the pros but still retain his agility.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.

Running Back: The team are pretty well set at Running Back but could use some better depth if they don't feel Mike Hart will work out long term. Personally I would also like the idea of the team targeting a big short yardage back to help improve the 3rd/4th and short Run Game, which has been lacking in recent years.

Wide Receiver: The injury to Gonzalez showed the team could use a bit more depth at Receiver but I can't see the team using a high pick at the position as the new Receiver will probably not contribute much in the Offense. The only way I could see a highish pick at Reciever is if it was really good value and a player who can bring something extra as a Kick Returner.

H-Back: The team drafted Tom Santi a few years ago to help shore up this position after Ben Utecht left the team. They have used Gijon Robinson in the meantime. Robinson isn't brilliant and Santi is constantly injured so the team could use a late round selection to take a good Hybrid Tight End.

Offensive Tackle: The biggest concern for the team. We have three Offensive Tackles (Charlie Johnson, Ryan Diem and Tony Ugoh). None of them particuarly fill me with confidence. Left Tackle is a real need pick going into the 2010 NFL Draft with Charlie Johnson being both not good enough and also a Free Agent. They could also target a good Right Tackle if Ugoh doesn't transition well as Ryan Diem's play in the last couple of years has been poor at best. Diem could easily not be on the team next year if there is a salary cap.

Defensive End: The team are set on passing downs at this position but on run downs we normally sub in Raheem Brock. Brock isn't the youngest man in the world and is also being paid an extortionate amount of money. I could see the team targeting a good solid hybird Defensive End/Defensive Tackle (a player in the Justin Tuck mould) who can play Left End on run downs and kick inside on pass downs and then cut Raheem Brock. The team also need to improve depth at Defensive End so they could also look at a player towards to bottom end of the Draft.

Nose Tackle: The team have invested a lot in Defensive Tackle over the last year (two Draft picks, a number of waiver signs and the resigning of Ed Johnson) and so are relatively solid. The team have a lot of potential at Under Tackle in Fili Moala and could look to get a potentially elite young Nose Tackle if there is the value. If someone like Vince Oghobaase falls to them in the 2nd Round then the team could pull the trigger.

Middle Linebacker: The Colts two Middle Linebackers (Gary Brackett and Freddie Keiaho) are both Free Agents in the Offseason (and both not overly good). The team will resign one of them (or another Free Agent Linebacker) to play the backup role but will probably target a Linebacker very early on in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Cornerback: Last year the Colts gave Kelvin Hayden a new 5 year, $43 Million contract. This year Marlin Jackson, the player the Colts drafted a round earlier that Hayden, and are in negotiations with a year later's, contract is up. He will want a similar deal to Hayden. I think most people value Hayden as being better that Jackson but with it being a year later and Jackson being a former 1st Round pick, he will think he's worth as much as Hayden. The Colts could have difficulty reaching a deal here and so Cornerback becomes a very early need. The Colts also need to think about backup. I don't see them resigning Tim Jennings as he has firmly being taking over as the 3rd Cornerback by Jerraud Powers but the team could draft a new 4th CB in the Offseason if one presents good value.

Free Safety: Both Antoine Bethea and the principle backup Melvinn Bullitt's contracts are both up. Both were signed for basically minimum contracts and so will be looking a vast wage increase. Bethea looked so promising a couple of years ago but has never been able to step it up to the next level while Bullitt looks like a brilliant backup (especially as he can play both Safety positions) but will never be a brilliant starter Safety in the NFL. The team will not resign both these players so they will either have to look for better depth at Safety or a new starting Free Safety. With the talent in this Safety class I could see them having a go at finding a new starter in the 3rd or 4th round.

Strong Safety: If Melvin Bullitt goes then the Colts have to find sufficient backup to the oft injured Bob Sanders. If they can't find a Safety who can backup both positions adequately then they need to find two backup Safeties.

Place Kicker: Vinatieri's leg has been called into question but I can't see the team drafting a Kicker in the draft this year. I could see them brining in a Undrafted Rookie and having a real camp battle but I think they will allow Vinatieri to see out his contract.

Early Picks:

As I said in the write up there are a number of starters who will either leave the team or who could be upgraded. The positions are:

I can't see the team targeting a potential starter after the 3rd Round and so of those 6 positions, only 3 of them will be replaced. The team will have to decide who they resign, let leave and if they are willing to cut players. 4 of them have expiring contracts and so it means that at least 1 will have to be resigned in Free Agency.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.

Wide Receiver: The injury to Gonzalez showed the team could use a bit more depth at Receiver but I can't see the team using a high pick at the position as the new Receiver will probably not contribute much in the Offense. The only way I could see a highish pick at Reciever is if it was really good value and a player who can bring something extra as a Kick Returner.

I try not to want to make a case for Jordan Shipley because he is very much another slot wideout kind and then he puts up numbers in the return game every week. He is touted to be rounds 2 to 3 but I doubt he lasts that long, probably late first round to early second round if he continues to perform this way. I did like Eric Decker of Minnesota and the way he took contact and maintained possession against Cal. on that TD pass today, a bigger wideout than we usually go for may not be a bad thing. If he is there at the end of the second, I wonder if that will count as good value to BP.

If BP wants an RT to replace Ryan Diem, I would like Sam Young of Notre Dame as a 2nd rounder if possible, he looks good on the field. Jason Fox of Miami at LT looked good as well. The more Miami keeps winning, I expect Jason Fox's stock to go up, same with Sam Young. But you can see that Sam Young is more of the Ryan Diem kind, a possible mauler and Jason Fox is more of the 300 lb quick footed LT kind and is never going to be a mauler. I do like the Gabe Carimi guy of Wisconsin that Seamus pointed out. He had an injury recently and it is possible he may drop to the bottom of the 2nd. Does Wisconsin still have the same O-line coach that coached Joe Thomas?

I'd say BP trades down to the top of the 2nd getting and extra 2nd & 4th picks in return.

My top 3 right now:

Round 2 early trade pick: Jason Fox, LT, Miami

Round 2 pick: Daryl Washington, ILB, TCU

Round 3 pick: Brian Jackson, CB, Oklahoma (to replace Marlin Jackson if he leaves or to add another physical presence like Marlin Jackson at 6'1", 200 lbs, you should have seen how well Brian Jackson played Jordan Shipley in the OU-Texas game, I think he can play nickel CB like Marlin Jackson as well as Free Safety, IMO)

I'm not so sure they'll go with another lightweight, athletic LT in the draft. I think they like Charlie Johnson and need a Ryan Diem replacement. If what I've read about Fox is true he is what we don't need on the line. As if our run blocking wasn't bad enough already.

I'm not so sure they'll go with another lightweight, athletic LT in the draft. I think they like Charlie Johnson and need a Ryan Diem replacement. If what I've read about Fox is true he is what we don't need on the line. As if our run blocking wasn't bad enough already.

This guy Jason Fox weighs in the 305-315 lbs range, that is not a lightweight by any means. In the Colts offense, we pass to set up the run. Ryan Diem is 320 lbs, and Jason Fox can easily put on that weight. It may also help if a decision is made to move Ugoh to guard, which I think they should try out.

We use zone blocking and when the Denver O-lines that use zone blocking run so well, their lightweight O-line does not seem to have a problem making holes. Running is about O-line cohesion more than individual weight. We are not a good screening team and neither will we ever be a smash mouth running team like the Ravens, so we need to draft O-linemen that will better our strengths, running enough when necessary. We always will pass to set up the run under Manning, that is what will earn us our running lanes. In the playoffs, we may have to take more checkdowns in the passing game than in the regular season. If we do that, we will be fine and move the ball methodically.

This guy Jason Fox weighs in the 305-315 lbs range, that is not a lightweight by any means. In the Colts offense, we pass to set up the run. Ryan Diem is 320 lbs, and Jason Fox can easily put on that weight. It may also help if a decision is made to move Ugoh to guard, which I think they should try out.

We use zone blocking and when the Denver O-lines that use zone blocking run so well, their lightweight O-line does not seem to have a problem making holes. Running is about O-line cohesion more than individual weight. We are not a good screening team and neither will we ever be a smash mouth running team like the Ravens, so we need to draft O-linemen that will better our strengths, running enough when necessary. We always will pass to set up the run under Manning, that is what will earn us our running lanes. In the playoffs, we may have to take more checkdowns in the passing game than in the regular season. If we do that, we will be fine and move the ball methodically.

The problem is that for the last season and a half, the passing game has been great but has not set up the run. The 49ers were dropping 6 and 7 into coverage yesterday and the Colts still couldn't spring Addai. It doesn't help that Addai is so indecisive but there weren't holes for him to run through.

Denver's zone run blocking has worked great for years. The problem is that we either don't have the personnel or the coaching that Denver has had.

Last year we could say that Manning didn't have an offseason with these guys, they were new to each other and weren't cohesive, Lilja was out, Addai was hurt and Rhodes was getting older, etc.

This year they had an offseason together, Johnson, Saturday, Pollack, and Diem all played together extensively last year, Lilja is back, we have a new 1st round RB in Donald Brown and Addai is healthier, Mudd is still the coach, and they've been working hard at establishing the run better. And the line still sucks at run blocking.

1 year I can understand, given all the problems last year. This year, though, I don't understand. It's mostly the same guys, the same coaching, improved running talent. If this isn't working then maybe a scheme and/or personnel change is in order, because this type of running is not going to help us win in the post season.

I guess I heard wrong then. I thought Fox was a light-on-his-feet athletic 290 lb. pass blocking LT. How is his drive blocking? Does he seem to be strong and have the right mindset to play LT at the next level?

Haven't seen him play yet this year. He seems to be a bigger player than what the Colts have looked for before in terms of a guard. Of course with Caldwell as the coach now, maybe we look for larger players on the O-line as well.

There is a "Teams Needs" thread in the 2010 NFL Draft Forum, where I posted my opinion on what Colts' needs are.

Quote:

The two biggest areas of concern are run-blocking and run defense.

I'd say the order is:

1. OG
2. UT
3. LT
4. OLB
5. KR/PR
6. RT

- Kyle Devan is a big improvement over Pollak, but he is far from great. He's still more of a OC. Perhaps the plan is to groom him as a replacement for Saturday. I really want us to get another good OG that we can run effectively behind.

- Both of our starting DTs (Muir and Johnson) are really NTs. That is fine considering we generate plenty of pass-rush from our DEs. Foster is UT, but he is really a situational player. Moala might be good in time, but he's really raw right now. I've been wanting to get a dominant UT for years now. Perhaps this is the draft to do it, it's loaded with talented DTs.

- Let me just say that I don't hate Charlie Johnson, we can live with him as our starting LT. But he is FAR from great. I think Peyton's quick decision-making ability makes his pass-blocking look better then what it actually is. I wouldn't call him a "franchise LT".

- Bringing in new and athletic OLB should be a priority in every draft for us.

- KR/PR position might have been #1 on this list if our offense wasn't as potent. We really don't need great field position with Manning and Co. With that being said, our returners suck.

- I've added RT simply because Diem is getting up there in age and we might need to look for a replacement soon.

IMO DE has to be a position we look for. Freeney and Mathis are the only two ends that offer a pass rush. It helps now that Coyer uses the LBs to blitz more but even having a 3rd legit pass rusher would really help the team, especially as Freeney gets older. Dawson, Brock, and especially Thomas do not offer much of a pass rush.

(Quick, strong and passionate, Alualu's production is even more impressive considering he played defensive end in the 3-4 alignment -- a position typically defined as a block-consuming, role-playing spot more than a stat-producing position.

Scouts believe Alualu's numbers would be even more impressive if he were playing in a 4-3 defense. He appears better suited to be a "three technique" defensive tackle.)

But Brian Price, DT, UCLA at the same time is listed as a 4-3 under tackle only, and probably would be a good pick too.

What do you guys think about Mike Iupati? Could he be a good OG in our system?

I would love to get OG Mike Iupati in the 1st round since he is rising up the draft boards. Even though he is bigger than our normal OGs, he would fit our system because he is still athletic enough to run it. Plus we need a powerful mauler to help give us better push in the run game.

As for Mike Pollak, I see him having success and I sure havent given up on him, Im just not sure OG is where his future is. I think either he or DeVan would be a good replacement for Saturday when he calls it a career soon.

I bet if it was an owner like Jerry Jones, he may have overriden the GM's decision and played the healthy starters the entire game. But what is done is done, we HAVE to move on, no two ways about it. BP is the best in the business and he hires coaches like Caldwell and Dungy who don't oppose him most of the time on decisions like these and that bugs me. It was Caldwell's decision when to pull the starters but not if he needed to pull the starters, he is just the fall guy here. But you take the good with the bad, and it could be worse, we could spend 10 years with the Cleveland Browns, come back and tell me how bad we have it here.:)

The bottomline is, the management does not realize that worrying about injury and not playing healthy starters till the week before a bye week has not yielded the results consistently and every divisional round has given us a one-and-done when we had a bye week. The one year they had to play the last week, we went all the way. Until Polian realizes there is a small correlation, decisions like these will continue but they get magnified only if we are undefeated. It is sad to hope for our team to lose a game or two earlier in the season so that they play week 17 in full throttle. But I do agree that they are doing a few tweaks with their playing time for the starters. In 2005, they had 2 series in game 15 and 1 series in game 16 for the starting offense. We have already seen 3 quarters for the starting offense in game 15 and I expect 1 quarter of play for the starting offense in game 16. So, Caldwell has done a few things different from Dungy playing a balancing act between staying sharp and getting the players the rest they need.

It is flat out too hard to simulate playoff intensity in practice, no one is out there in practice trying to hurt Peyton, so only meaningful game time even in meaningless games is the best way to stay sharp. The D however, less timing is involved and health is more paramount than anything else. As long as this tweak of Caldwell works and gets us to play sharp in the playoffs, I will be happy though I will still wonder. I can forgive but cannot forget quitting on a perfect season, that is just me.:(

At this point this is old news, and as Manning asked I have moved on, but it'll all come back 10x as bad if the Colts don't do well in the playoffs. That said, I think they will.

Back to the draft, a lot of mocks have Greg Hardy falling to us or out of the 1st around. There are obvious injury concerns so of course they need to be smart about that. But if physically he checks out enough that they could use him as a situational pass rusher and limit his PT, what a great player to get at the end of the 1st.

I agree the OL needs work. I would like to get Jason Fox or Mike Iupati (I think he'll be there, Duke Robinson got the same hype last year as an OG and didn't go in the 1st) on this team. But I'd also like to get a third legit pass rusher.